[APT] how to recover from /var overflow?
LMDE is a directly-debian-derived, rolling-release, APT-packaged distro.
Since I'm not getting help @ its forum, and my problem seems to involve
APT directly, I'm hoping this is a good place to ask. If there's a
better place to ask APT questions, please lemme know, and feel free to
forward.
My problem is
http://forum.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=198&t=116918
> Recently I attempted to upgrade an LMDE box from UP4 to UP5
These "update packs" are collections of APT packages.
> via `gksudo mintupdate`.
IIUC, the Mint Update Manager is just another GUI frontend to APT,
except that it also knows about update packs. Note also that, except for
installing update packs (a few times per year), I use
* `aptitude` for day-to-day package management (approx weekly)
* `apt-get` for major upgrades
> I left [the box] running, and returned to find a dialog (forgot which
> app popped it) showing /var maxed (mostly in /var/cache/). Fortunately
> that box has a separate /var partition, so the box still boots.
> Unfortunately, `gnome-terminal`s are somewhat hosed: the frame pops
> up, but I get no prompt. Fortunately, {console, virtual terminal, text
> terminal}s, e.g. C-A-F1, still works as expected. Unfortunately, it
> has physical partitions, making partition resizing problematic. (I
> intend to install LVM Real Soon Now :-)
Meanwhile, how to fix this problem? I.e., how to restore my APT to a
stable state, such that I can reattempt update?
I'm guessing the first steps are like
1. boot to console, login
2. `sudo aptitude clean`
3. reboot
4. boot to X, login
5. `sudo apt-get update`
6. `sudo apt-get dist-upgrade`
7. `sudo apt-get -f install`
but I Could Be Wrong: is there anything else I can/should do *with APT*
to prevent /var overflow? As noted above, I know I should make my /var
partition larger, but for now, that is not feasible.
TIA, Tom Roche <Tom_Roche@pobox.com>
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